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GIFT  OF 


STUDY  ON;          |    :;    -v': 
'HE  UTILIZATION  OF  OUR  RESOURCES  IN  VARIOUS 
MEANS  OF  TRANSPORTATION  AND  OF  THE 
SERVICES  OF  TRAINED  SPECIALISTS 


PREPARED  BY  THE  WAR  COLLEGE  DIVISION,  GENERAL  STAFF  CORPS 

AS    A    SUPPLEMENT    TO    THE    STATEMENT    OF    A    PROPER   MILITARY 

POLICY  FOR  THE  UNITED  STATES 


WCD  9053-111 


ARMY  WAR  COLLEGE  :  WASHINGTON 

NOVEMBER,  1915 


535 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
1916 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Document  No.  535. 
of  the  Chief  of  Staff. 


STUDY  ON  THE  UTILIZATION  OF  OUR  RESOURCES  IN 
VARIOUS  MEANS  OF  TRANSPORTATION  AND  OF  THE 
SERVICES  OF  TRAINED  SPECIALISTS. 


PRESENT  STATUS. 

1.  Motor  transport. — Automobiles  can  now  be  manufactured  in 
the  United  States  at  the  rate  of  over  50,000  per  month,  motor  trucks 
at  the  rate  of  about  5,000  per  month,  and  motorcycles  at  the  rate  of 
about  4,000  per  month.    There  are  now  about  1,500,000  motor  cars, 
140,000  motor  trucks,  and  100,000  motorcycles  in  the  United"  States. 
An  army  of  1,000,000  men  might  need  about  4,000  motor  cars,  4,000 
motorcycles,  and  24,000  motor  trucks. 

2.  Only  a  small  proportion  of  existing  motor  vehicles  are  suitable 
for  military  service,  and  in  view   of  the  small  number  of  such 
vehicles  required  and  the  rapidity  with  which  they  can  be  manu- 
factured, it  would  be  neither  economical  nor  wise  to  plan  upon 
using  any  and  all  kinds  of  motors  offered  for  service. 

Accepting  and  using  old  motor  vehicles  of  many  different  models 
when  new  ones  of  a  few  good  models  can  be  obtained  as  soon  as 
needed  would  result  in  poor  transportation  and  great  cost  for  the 
United  States.  It  is,  therefore,  not  planned  to  use  every  vehicle 
that  may  be  presented,  but  rather  to  accept  individuals  as  chauffeurs 
and  mechanicians,  and  only  such  vehicles  as  may  be  of  an  approved 
type  and  serviceable.  A  bonus  might  encourage  the  accumulation 
of  suitable  types  of  motor  vehicles,  but  it  is  not  thought  to  be 
necessary. 

3.  The  type  of  motor  ambulance  best  suited  for  military  use  in 
this  country  is  now  under  consideration  by  a  board  of  Army  medical 
officers.     Few  automobile  ambulances  suitable  for  military  purposes 
are  available  at  present,  and  most  of  them  will  probably  continue 
to  be  needed  by  the  cities,  hospitals,  etc.,  now  using  them. 

Types  of  motor  trucks  and  tractors  for  use  in  the  other  depart- 
ments of  the  Army  are  under  trial  and  study  at  the  present  time. 

4.  Aircraft. — No  private  aircraft  suitable  for  military  purposes 
are  known  to  be  available  to  the  Federal  Government  at  present. 
It  is  estimated  that  military  aeroplanes  can  be  manufactured  in  this 
country  at  the  rate  of  about  200  per  month.     The  few  civilian  aero 
pilots  or  mechanicians  available  in  this  country  will  be  commissioned 

°— No.  535—16  (3) 


667352 


or  enlisted,  but  only  machines  of  approved  types  should  be  taken 
over ;  all  others  should  be  purchased  new. 

5.  Medical  personnel. — Civilian  physicians,  trained  nurses,  hos- 
pital attendants,  pharmacists,  laboratory  workers,  etc.,  who  volunteer 
for  military  service  may  be  utilized  in  certain  positions  in  the  Medi- 
cal Department,  which  is  attempting  to  improve  the  Medical  Reserve 
Corps  and  to  perfect  organizations  comprising  all  the  necessary 
personnel  of  complete  sanitary  units  in  various  localities.     These 
units  will  be  listed,  kept  track  of,  and  used  as  far  as  possible  in  time 
of  war. 

6.  Ordnance  personnel. — Civilians  suitable  for  employment  in  the 
Ordnance  Department  who  volunteer  for  military  service  are  to  be 
utilized  as  officers,  etc..  in  that  department  according  to  their  qualifi- 
cations.   Information  regarding  this  is  contained  in  General  Orders, 
No.  3,  Office  of  the  Chief  of  Ordnance,  United  States  Army,  August 
25,  1913,  and  in  War  Department  General  Orders,  No.  57,  1909,  and 
No.  26,  1911. 

7.  Signal  Corps  personnel. — Civilian  telegraphers,  telephone  op- 
eratives, aviators,  etc.,  to  be  employed  with  the  military  forces  are 
to  be  organized  and  used  in  that  corps  as  men  of  similar  qualifications 
are  organized  and  employed  in  the  regular  Signal  Corps,  field  and 
telegraph  battalions,  and  aero  squadrons.    Other  telegraph  and  tele- 
phone operatives  working  for  military  forces  are  to  be  organized, 
employed,  and  controlled  about  as  they  habitually  are  for  their  work 
in  civil  life. 

8.  Engineer  personnel. — Volunteer  civilian  railroad  builders  and 
operators,  bridge  builders,  civil,  mechanical,  and  other  engineers  can 
now  have  their  names  placed  on  an  eligible  list  (G.  O.,  57,  1909,  as 
amended),  and  in  time  of  war  will- be  offered  commissions  as  engineer 
staff  officers  or  in  engineer  organizations.    These  organizations  will 
be  pioneer,  ponton,  or  railway  battalions  or  regiments  wherein  will 
be  found  need  for  specialists  in  all  branches  of  engineering,  in  the 
various  building  trades  and  mechanic  arts,  and  in  the  construction, 
operation,  and  maintenance  of  railways. 

9.  Quartermaster  personnel. — Volunteer   civilians  having   special 
training  in  handling  transportation  or  knowledge  of  other  quarter- 
master duties  are  to  be  organized  and  employed  in  the  Quartermaster 
Corps  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  described  for  the  other  depart- 
ments.   Individual  experts  can  have  their  names  placed  on  the  eli- 
gible list.    When  volunteers  are  authorized,  motor-truck  companies, 
wagon  companies,  bakery  companies,  etc.,  will  be  organized,  and 
the  necessary  number  and  class  of  experts  will  be  commissioned  in  the 
Quartermaster  Corps. 

10.  The  foregoing  are  the  plans  of  the  various  departments  of  the 
Army,  but  aside  from  the  laws  providing  for  the  Medical  Reserve 

535 


Corps  and  for  the  list  of  persons  eligible  for  volunteer  commissions 
there  are  no  provisions  of  law  that  authorize  any  measures  of  pre- 
paredness along  the  lines  indicated.  Neither  in  the  Medical  Reserve 
Corps  nor  in  the  "List  of  eligibles"  is  there  a  dependable  source 
of  officers,  for  there  is  absolutely  no  assurance  that  any  of  them  will 
respond  when  their  services  are  required,  nor  is  there  any  provision 
in  the  laws  compelling  them  to  do  so. 

WAR  COLLEGE  PLANS. 

11.  The  War  College  Division  recommends  utilizing  these  great 
resources  of  the  Nation  in  men  and  materiel  in  two  ways:  First,  by 
forming  the  various  units  that  make  up  divisions,  and  lines  of  com- 
munications, etc.;  and,  second,  by  commissioning  individuals  whose 
personal  abilities  make  them  desirable  for  planning  in  time  of  peace 
and  for  execution  in  time  of  war. 

These  two  methods  which  require  legislation  are  to  be  put  into 
operation  as  follows: 

(a)  Organizations   such   as   motor-truck   companies,   motor-cycle 
companies,  motor-ambulance  companies,  etc.,  are  to  be  provided  for 
in  a  civilian  force,  organized  and  trained  in  time  of  peace,  and  for 
convenience  called  the  continental  army.     They  can  be  formed  in 
such  numbers  as  the  law  may  authorize  and  the  Secretary  of  War 
may  direct. 

(b)  Individual  experts  will  be  provided  for  in  an  officers'  reserve 
corps.     It  is  proposed,  in  time  of  peace,  to  commission  as  reserve 
officers  all  kinds  of  experts  from  civil  life  in  such  numbers  and  pro- 
portions as  the  law  may  authorize  and  the  Secretary  of  War  may 
direct. 

12.  In  connection  with  this  subject  it  is  submitted  that  without 
legislation  authorizing  this  civilian  army  and  the  officers'  reserve 
corps  nothing  can  be  done  that  is  of  the  least  value.     Peace-time 
volunteer  organizations,  unsanctioned  by  law,  can  not  be  relied  upon 
for  use  in  time  of  war;  they  can  be  of  value  only  when  their  mem- 
bers are  legally  bound  to  render  military  service  to  the  United  States 
for  a  fixed  period  and  to  serve  in  the  armies  in  any  war  that  may 
occur  during  that  period  if  legally  called  upon  to  do  so. 

13.  Methods  suggested. — The  following  is  an  outline  of  how  the 
War  College  Division  plans  to  utilize  the  national  resources  hereto- 
fore discussed,  if  authority  therefor  can  be  obtained  from  Congress: 

A.  IN  THE  CONTINENTAL  ARMY. 

(1)  Motor  truck  companies.    Organized  and  trained  under  the  Quarter- 

master Corps.     These  will  include  chauffeurs,  drivers,  mechan- 
icians, etc. 

(2)  General  hospital  units; 

(3)  Base  hospital  units; 

535 


6 

(4)  Field  hospital  companies;  and 

(5)  Ambulance  companies. 

Organized  and  trained  under  the  Medical  Corps.  These  will 
include  physicians,  surgeons,  pharmacists,  hospital  assistants, 
nurses,  laboratory  assistants,  chauffeurs,  drivers,  mechanicians, 
etc. 

(6)  Field  battalions,  Signal  Corps; 

(7)  Telegraph  battalions,  Signal  Corps;  and 

(8)  Aero  squadrons. 

These  will  be  organized  and  trained  under  the  Signal  Corps 
and  will  include  telephone  and  telegraph  engineers,  wireless  ex- 
perts, and  aero  pilots,  telephone,  telegraph,  and  wireless  opera- 
tors, and  mechanics,  mechanicians,  chauffeurs,  motorcycle  men, 
etc. 

(9)  Railway  regiments. 
(10)    Engineer  regiments. 

These  will  be  organized  and  trained  under  the  Corps  of  Engi- 
neers and  will  include  railway  officials  and  engineers,  civil, 
mechanical,  electrical,  and  other  engineers;  enginemen,  firemen, 
conductors,  brakemen,  train  dispatchers,  signalmen,  bridgemen, 
trackmen,  machinists,  and  all  other  railway  operatives.  They 
will  also  include  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  mechanics,  draftsmen, 
surveyors,  lithographers,  etc. 

B.  IN  THE  OFFICERS'  RESERVE  CORPS.  (A  reserve  of  officers  to  replace  casual- 
ties in  organizations  of  the  Regular,  Continental,  and  Volunteer 
Armies. ) 

(1)  Quartermaster  Corps.    Automobile  engineers  and  experts,   wagon 

and  other  vehicle  experts,  railway  transportation  experts. 

(2)  Medical  Corps.    Physicians,  surgeons,  chemists,  dentists,  hospital 

superintendents,  laboratory  experts,  sanitary  experts,  etc. 

(3)  Signal  Corps.    Telephone,  telegraph,  and  wireless  engineers,  aero 

pilots. 

(4)  Corps  of  Engineers.    Civil,  mechanical,  electrical,  and  other  engi- 

neers ;  railway  officials,  including  experts  in  the  operating,  mainte- 
nance of  way,  bridges  and  buildings,  signal,  motive  power,  car 
building,  car  repairing,  and  other  departments. 

LEGISLATION. 

14.  The  draft  of  a  proposed  bill  to  authorize  a  civilian  force,  called 
herein  the  Continental  Army,  will  be  submitted  in  the  near  future,  if 
desired.    It  is  now  under  preparation. 

15.  The  draft  of  a  proposed  bill  to  authorize  the  officers'  reserve 
corps  was  submitted  in  War  College  Division  memorandum  No. 
9153-2,  1915. 

535 

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